Pipe organ valve action



Sept. 1, 1931. D. s. BARRows 1,821,253

PIPE ORGAN VALVE ACTION Original Filed Oct. 16, 1928 gwwmtoz Patented Sept. 1, 1931 DONALD S. BARROWS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK PIPE ORGAN VALVE ACTION Original application filed October 16, 1928, Serial No. 312,871.

January 28, 1930.

This invention aims to provide a reliable pipe organ valve action of the relay type, characterized by the valve actions for the in dividual pipes being each formed as unitary structures, capable of individual mounting or replacement without mutual interference, and without any necessity for taking apart the wind chest.

Valve actions of the relay type are commonly employed in the Wind chests of those stops which comprise the larger pipes. These require large ports in the wind chest and large secondary valve discs controlling such ports. This, of course, makes it necessary to employ correspondingly large diaphragms. Under such circumstances, it is customary to use relay Valves between the secondary valves and the electro-magnetically controlled primary valves and in order to provide for the rapid exhaust of the pressure air from beneath the larger diaphragm. In other words, the area of the aperture uncovered by the armature of the primary valveis not great enough to permit rapid exhaust of the relatively large volume of pressure air underneath the diaphragm of the secondary valve.

This application is a division of my prior application for Letters Patent of the United States for Removable pipe organ valves, filed October l6, 1928, Serial Number 312,871,

In addition to the general object just stated, the invention has for further objects such other improvements and advantages in construction and operation as may be attained by the structures and devices hereinafterdescribed or claimed;

- In the drawings which illustrate a structural embodiment of the invention in a preferred form:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through an organ wind chest showing the lication of one of the improved valve actions.

Figures 2 and 3 are sectional views on the correspondingly numbered lines of Figure 1, looking in the directions of the arrows.

The illustrative relay Valve action is one of'the electro-pneumatic type. It includes a secondary valve directly controlling a supply of'air'to an organ pipe 3, a relay valve con- Divided and this application filed Serial No. 424,002.

of pipe chromatically differentiated in pitch and extending over a range of several octaves.

Every series of pipes constitutes a stop, all the pipes of which are under a group control of the stop knob or tablet, at the console. When the stop is drawn or on the pressure air is admitted to the wind chest division containing the pipe series constituting that particular stop. The depression of the keys will then cause the sounding of the correspondingly pitched pipes as belongs to stops drawn on or coupled to that manual.

Ordinarily, each organ wind chest consists of several divisions, one for each stop. And as each stop necessarily comprises a large number of pipes to provide for the sounding of several octaves each of complete chromatic compass, a correspondingly large number of key-controlled valve actions must be provided. This unavoidable duplication of the valve actions necessarily introduces complications in organ building and maintenance, particularly if the many valve actions are interrelated structurally with each other and with the wind chest, thereby requiring that the wind chest be disassembled, should any valve action require adjustment, repair or replacement.

The problem of assembly, maintenance and repair has been solved in large measure by the improved valve action. Features of the action include: a capability of adjustment from the exterior of the chest, of each of the primary, secondary and relay valves, without removing them from the chest, and also a capability of mounting or replacement of each valve action, or any component part thereof, wholly independently of each other and without any necessity for removing any part of the wind chest.

The drawings show and illustrative embodiment of the improved valve action applied to an organ wind chest. For the sake of clearness, the before mentioned duplication of parts has been omitted from the illustration. The wind chest consists of a rectangular box-like structure, made of the four sides, a top board 1 and a bottom board 5, and is divided into as many chest divisions as there are stops whose pipes are planted in the top board 1. The interior of each pipe division functions as a pressure chamber 4; supplied, whenever the corresponding stop knob has been drawn at the console, with air under pressure employed to operate the primary valves under the control of the manual key to operate the relay valves controlled by the primary valves, and to sound the pipes corresponding in pitch to the keys played.

The foot of the organ pipe 3 is planted in a socket in the top board 1. This socket is connected by a port 2 with the pressure chamber 4. The supply of air under pres sure from chamber 4 through port 2 to the organ pipe is controlled by the improved valve action.

The secondary valve of the valve action directly controls the flow of air pressure through port 2 leading to the organ pipe. It includes a valve disc 6 preferably of laminated construction and suitably surfaced to provide air tight fit whenever the valve is closed. The disc is secured adjustably on the screw-threaded top part of the valve stem 7 by thumb nuts located above and below the disc. The stem 7 passes through a bearing 8 seated in the top part of the valve tube 9. Both the stem and the tube extend vertically through the wind chest to the bot tom board 5, which is provided with an opening 10 for receiving the lower portion of the tube and its enclosed valve stem. The openings 10 in the bottom board are located in registering alinement with the corresponding ports '2 in the top board 1, and are relatively larger in diameter than the valve discs and tubes 9, to permit insertion or withdrawal of the complete secondary valve as a unit, without removing any part of the wind chest. The operating means for the secondary valve is located at the bottom of the wind chest adjacent to the bottom board. and may be exposed at its bottom by removal of part of the base mounting.

The base mounting supporting the parts of the primary valve, the secondary valve and the relay valve is secured to the bottom board of the wind chest. It is constructed to permit mounting and demounting in respect of the wind chest of the entire valve action as an independent unit and also separate mounting and demounting of the secondary and relay valves and the armature of the primary valve. It also permits ready access to any parts of the valve action as may require adjustment by the mere reportion 14: of the valve tube moval of detachable closure elements forming part of the base mounting.

In the illustrative embodnnent, the base mounting comprises a carrier supporting the secondary valve and its operating means, as well as the primary valve comprising the electroema net and its armature, and the relay valve which is interposed between the secondary valve and the primary valve. The carrier is formed preferably as a casting constructed to provide an armature chamber for the primary valve, a valve chamber for the relay valve and ducts, for the flow of air controlled by the operation of the'valves.

The carrier casting is provided with an upwardly projecting hub 13, adapted to extend within the opening 10 of the bottom board, 5, and the bore of the hub 13 is provided with screw-threads for cooperation with the exteriorly threaded enlarged base L 9. The bore of the hub 13 is relatively larger than the valve disc 6, permitting mounting and demounting of the entire secondary valve without removal of the carrier casting 12 from the base board,

Below its screw-threaded portion 14, the valve tube 9 is provided with a conical downwardly flaring apron 15 which is received with the correspondingly shaped bore of the carrier casting, A packing member 17 interposed between the valve tube apron 15 and the bore 16 provides an air tight joint. Above the screw threaded portion 14, the valve tube 9 is provided with ports 60 for the inflow of pressure air from the wind chest.

T he apron 15 ot the valve forms the upper part of the valve chamber of the secondary valve. At its bottom edges, the apron is provided with a groove 18 in which is cl am ped. the outer edge of the diaphragm or pull 19, by means of a suitable expansion ring 20. The diaphragm may be made of a suitable membrane such as a piece of thin leather oi? the proper size, and its center is pierced by the screw-threaded lower end of the valve stem 7. The diaphragm is retained in position by upper and lower washers 22 and likewise pierced by the valve stem and respectively engaging the top and bottom surfaces of the diaphragm. These washers are preferably made of thick, heavy leather, The diaphragm 19 is operated by air pressure from the wind chest, to lower the valve stem 7 and open the secondary valve, but is lifted, to close the valve by spring'action applied by a coil spring 24 engaging the lower washer 28. v

The lower part of the secondary valve chamber is closed by a cover plate 25 formed preferably of sheet metal, which seats against the adjacent portion of the carrier casting. The cover plate 25 surrounds the lower end of the apron 15 and the diaphragm 19 and is formed with a well EEG-receiving and providcoiled around supporting brads 30 secured to the bottom surface of the bottom board 5.

Thus, the cover plate 25 may be quickly detached from the carrier 12 by depressing the spring29. When the cover plate 25 is removed, the bottom. of the secondary valve chamber is exposed so as to afford access to the lower end of the valve stem 7 and the diaphragm 19. In this manner the operating elements of the secondary valve are readily accessible for adjustment or replacement without disturbance of any of the other parts of the valve action, and without requiring the wind chest to be taken apart. The adjustment of the valve stem 7 relatively to the diaphragm 19 may be accomplished by simply turning the lower end of the stem relatively to the diaphragm. Such adjustment may be occasionally required for insuring proper seating of the valve disc 6. When the cover plate 25 is removed it is also possible to take out the entire secondary valve, without disturbance of the other parts of the valve action. The secondary valve is removed by unscrewingthe tube 9 whereupon the entire valve action may be pulled out through the base of the hub 13 of the carrier plate 12.

Adjacent to each of the openings 10, which receive the secondary valve, the base board is provided with an opening 31, having the dual function of providing a socket for the electro-magnet 32 and a passage for the flow of air controlled by the operation of the primary valve. The poles of the electro-magnet are supported in sockets provided in that portion of the carrier casting 12 which extends below the 0pening'31 as shown in F igure 1. r J

In its. portion below the opening 31, the carrier casting 12 is provided with a pair of air flow ducts 32 in registration with said opening31 and with the primary valve or armature chamber 33. The armature chamber 33 is formed by a socket extending upwardly from the bottom face of the carrier casting to the ducts 32 A removable plate 34 which may be formed of sheet metal provides a closure for the bottom of the armature chamber 33. This plate may be detachably secured against the lower face of the carrier casting and is formed with an upwardly projecting thimble 35 which provides an exhaust duct 'forthe primary valve cham ber and also a seat for the armature 36.

The relay valve is supported by the carrier casting 12 between the primary valve and the secondary valve. The function of relay valve is to insure such speed of operation of the valve action as will cause the valve disc 1 to uncover the port 2 in immediate response to energization of' the armature 32. As hereinbefore stated, relay valves are commonly employed in valve actions which control the large pipes of the organ and are used to insure rapid exhaust of the pressure air from beneath the relatively large diaphragm, such as shown at 19, which is required to uncover the relatively large ports of the larger pipes.

Between the primary valve and the secondary valve the carrier casting 12 is formed with a downwardly projectingouter shell 37 forming a conical chamber 38 which constitutes the valve chamber for the relay valve. The top of the chamber 38 is connected by an air flow duct 39 with the armature chamber 33. At its side opposite to the duct 39, the relay valve chamber 38 is connected by an air flow duct 40 with the lower part of the secondary valve chamber. Mounted within the relay chamber 38 is a hollow inner shell 41, the lower edge of which terminates above the duct 40. This shell 41 at its upper edge provides a support for the diaphragm 42 which controls the operation of the relay valve. Secured to the lower edge of the shell is a horizontal plate 43, having a central hole 44 for the exhaust of pressure air from beneath the diaphragm 42. The plate 43 also functions as a seat for the valve disc 45 which operates below the plate 43. The center of the diaphragm 42 is pierced by the screwthreaded valve stem 46 and is retained in position on the stem by washers 47 and 48 located above and below the diaphragm. Below the diaphragm the center of the valve disc 45 is likewise pierced by the screw threaded valve stem 46 and is retained in position by thumb nuts located above, and below the discs.

Between the diaphragm 42 and the valve disc 45 the wall of the inner shell is perforated to provide a plurality of ports 49. These ports 49 communicate with a horizontal duct 50 in the wall of the outer shell 37 One end of the duct 50 is connected by an upwardly projecting duct 51 with a port 52 leading to the interior of the chest 4. These connected ducts provide for the supply of air pressure from the wind chest to the space below the diaphragm.

The diaphragm chamber is closed at its bottom by a removable plug 53 having a conical edge for frictionally engaging the wall of the relay chamber. The center of the plug 53 is provided with a hole 54 which functions as an exhaust port. Surrounding the hole 54, the top surface of the plug 53 is provided with a flange 55 which functions as ISO a lower seat for the valve disc 45. The plug 53 is formed with a depending handle portion 56 which permits its quickapplication and removal in respect of the relay valve chamber.

The structure just described affords ready access to both the primary and the relay valves. By removing the closure'34 of the primary valve, the armature 36 may be taken out whenever desired. Similarly, by removing the plug 53, the entire relay valve may be quickly exposed for adjustment or removal. Adjustment of-the relay valve is eilected by turning the relay valve stem 46 relatively to the valve stem 43 and diaphragm 42.

Describing the operation: When the magnet 32 is energized,.the armature 36 is attracted thereby closing the ducts 32 and uncovering the exhaust port 35. This allows the air pressure to escape from the upper part of the relay valve chamber above the diaphragm 42. The air pressure in the lower part of the chamber below the diaphragm forces the relay diaphragm 42 upwardly, thereby lifting the relay valve disc 45 to uncover the exhaust port 54. This allows the air pressure below the secondary valve diaphragm 19 to escape whereupon the wind chest pressure above the secondary valve diaphragm forces the latter down against the pressure of the spring 24. This action lowers the valve stem 7 and secondary valve disc to uncover port 2 and permit wind chest pressure to cause the pipe 3 to speak. When the electro-magnet 32 is deenergized, the armature 36 is permitted to seat over the exhaust port 35. Thereupon the wind chest pressure passes through ducts 82 to the space in the relay valve chamber above the relay diaphragm 42 to lower the valve disc 45 and close the exhaust port 54. The wind chest pressure is then permitted to pass through the duct 40 to the space below the diaphragm 19, thereby reestablishing the condition of pressure equilibrium above and below the iaphragm 19, whereupon the spring 24 acts to lift the valve stem 7 and cause the disc to close port 2.

What is claimed is:

1. In an organ, the combination with the Wind chest, of a valve action including, a secondary valve, a relay valve controlling said secondary valve, and an electro-magnetically operated primary valve controlling said relav valve, and a mounting supporting the entire valve action in a position exterior- 1y of the chest and permitting the entire valve action to be applied to or removed as a unit from the chest.-

2. In an organ, the combination with the wind chest, of a valve action including, secondary, relay and electro-magnetically operated valves, operating elements for the respective valves of the valve action, and a mounting forsupporting the entire valve action and its operating elements in a position exteriorly of the chest, and including separate removable closures for said operating elements.

3. In an organ,- the combination with the wind chest, of a secondary valve including a tube and valve disc controlling a port in the top board thereof leading to a pipe, said secondary valve having its operating means located adjacent to the bottom board, said bottom board being apertured to receive said tube and disc, a relay valve controlling said secondary valve and an electro-magnetically operated primary valve controlling said relay valve, said relay and primary valves being both located adjacent to the said bottom board, and a base mounting supporting all of said valves and detachably secured to said bottom'boa-rd for permitting their removal as a unit from the chest, said bottom board being apertured to provide direct connections between the wind chest, and the primary and relay valves, respectively.

4. In an organ, the combination with the wind chest, of a secondary valve extending from a position within to a position without the chest, a relay valve controlling the operation of the secondary valve, and an electroniagnetically operated primary valve controlling said relay valve, the said relay and primary valves being located exteriorly of the chest, and a mounting supporting all of said valves and detachably secured to the exterior of the chest for permitting their removal as a unit from the chest.

5. In an organ, the combination with the wind chest, of a valve action including, a secondary valve, a relay valve and an electro-magnetically operated primary valve, and a unitary mounting member provided with sockets containing respectively the operating elements of the several valves of the entire valve action, and provided with separate removable closures for said sockets.

6. In an organ, the combination with the Wind chest, of a valve action including, a secondary valve, a relay valve and an electromagnetically operated primary valve, and a unitary mounting member provided with sockets containing respectively the operat ing elements of the several valves of the valve action.

7. In a pipe organ and in combination with a wind chest, the improvement. characterized by a seriesof valve actions each including a secondary valve, a relay valve and a primary valve, each valve action being made as a unitary structure separately applicable to and removable from the chest.

8. In a pipe organ and in combination with a wind chest, the improvement characterized by a series of valve actions each including a secondary valve, a relay valve and a primary valve, each valve action being made as a unitary structure in which the component valves thereof are alternatively separately or collectively removable as a unit from the chest.

9. In an organ the combination with the wind chest, of a valve action including, sec ondary, relay and electro-magnetically operated valves, and a unitary mounting supporting all of said valves in a position exteriorly of the chest and provided with separate removable closures for the operating elements of said valves.

10. In an organ the combination with the wind chest, of a valve action including secondary, relay and electro-magnetically operated valves, and a unitary mounting supporting the entire valve action in a position exteriorly of the chest.

11. In a pipe organ, a wind chest provided with an opening receiving the foot of a pipe and provided with a second opening in coaxial relation thereto, a self-contained unitary valve mechanism comprising a frame detachably mounted upon the wind chest, a valve structure detachably connected with the frame and extending through the second named opening, the valve structure including a diaphragm and an element connected therewith for controlling communication through the first named opening, a diaphragm valve relay carried by the frame, and electro-magnetic means carried by the frame for controlling the operation of the diaphragm relay whereby the same will control the air pressure at opposite sides of the first named diaphragm.

DONALD S. BARROWS. 

